Colour Vision Conflict
Colour Vision Conflict
Colour Vision Conflict
Sommerville
1
© 2009 B.D. Sommerville
one of these colours, line the retina of the eye, and when
stimulated by light of a suitable wavelength pass their signals to
the brain, where the corresponding colour combinations are
perceived. Thus the impression of yellow, for example, arises
from the stimulation of red and green sensitive nerve receptors.
2
© 2009 B.D. Sommerville
Moreover, the roles of the retina and the brain in our perception
of colour were also hotly debated. Helmholtz emphasised mental
inference or judgement in our colour sense, while Hering laid
stress on the state of nerves in the retina. For example, a bright
disc placed on a black background will produce a dark negative
after-image against a lighter visual field. This after-image is
surrounded by a border that is brighter than either the image or
the field. Helmholtz explained this light border as an illusion of
judgement caused by our tendency to mentally exaggerate
clearly seen differences in brightness. However Hering
countered that in the opposite case, where a black disc is viewed
against a white background, no dark border is seen around the
after-image, although the same conditions are present for an
illusion of judgement.
3
© 2009 B.D. Sommerville
Colour wheels were used also to study colour blindness for clues
to the nature of the colour sense. By varying the relative areas
on a colour wheel occupied by the primary colours, and
comparing the shade perceived when the wheel was spun rapidly
with a standard grey produced by black and white sectors
around the perimeter, the amount of each colour contributing to
the viewer's perceptions could be measured (see Figure 1).
4
© 2009 B.D. Sommerville
5
© 2009 B.D. Sommerville
Now remove the green square and look at the red sheet
underneath. It will appear to contain a square of red colour much
purer than the colour around it, since the diluting effect of green
cannot now be sensed over that area of the retina. A variety of
6
© 2009 B.D. Sommerville
And next time you take a train in the early morning or late
afternoon along a route where the trees grow close to the track,
sit on the sunny side of the carriage, and close your eyes, for the
psychedelic trip of a lifetime.
B. D. Sommerville
7
© 2009 B.D. Sommerville
Bibliography